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A player for the national team in A-men tested positive for covid-19, writes the Norwegian Football Association (NFF) in a press release.
The national team player is now in quarantine at the player’s hotel. As Dagbladet understands, the player himself must have the wish that the Norwegian Football Association does not come out with the name yet.
Today’s training was canceled. The rest of the staff follow the infection control measures of the UEFA protocol and comply with the instructions of the local health authorities.
– NFF is in dialogue with UEFA and local infection control authorities, and is awaiting information on what will happen next, says the press release.
Dagbladet has contacted the national team’s press director, Svein Graff, who announces more information later today.
– We will return with more information throughout the day, says the media manager of the national team, Svein Graff, to Dagbladet.
Norway will face Romania and Austria away on November 15 and 18, respectively, in the group stage of the Nations League.
– scandal
The news comes two days after the private international match between Norway and Israel was canceled just hours before kickoff.
The reason was that a player tested positive for covid-19 in the Israeli team, and that the Norwegian Health Directorate believed that there would be a risk of infection between the players and the support staff if the current international match was held.
Norway – Israel canceled
TV 2 soccer expert Jesper Mathisen reacts strongly to the news of a positive test among Norwegian players just days after the match against Israel was canceled.
– It’s sad and sad, and then it’s incredibly unnecessary for it to happen. This was a minor private international match that had to be fixed at all costs. The NFF has lobbied UEFA and said this was an important match. And then Lars Lagerbäck made a weak team which was further proof that this Israeli match was not that important to them, Mathisen tells Dagbladet.
– When infection rates in Europe and Oslo have skyrocketed, it seems very strange to organize such a party. It was crazy that it was going to be played. Other things just trump infection control and it’s a scandal, the expert is furious.
Mathisen notes that soccer has been good so far, but that an event like this puts both the national league game and the national team in jeopardy.
– I calculate that the players have been in contact with each other. We don’t know much yet, but they will likely be quarantined. This is proof of how stupid it was to bring in Israeli and Norwegian players from all over Europe.
An arrogant stubbornness
Soccer president Terje Svendsen responded on Wednesday that he understood the criticism that came after the match against Israel was canceled on short notice.
– Of course, we understand that it is questionable when conducting a national match when the infection numbers now increase. This is one of several dilemmas we have faced over the last year. Throughout the year we have been concerned with carrying out activities within the safe framework of infection control. Never at the expense of infection control, says the soccer president.
